A BLOWN tyre ended Kieren Clark s hopes of glory at Cadwell on Sunday. With the temperature soaring, all cars got off the line well, with Clark keeping a watching eye on Richard Mitcham, ensuring brakes and tyres were up to optimum temperature before try

A BLOWN tyre ended Kieren Clark's hopes of glory at Cadwell on Sunday.

With the temperature soaring, all cars got off the line well, with Clark keeping a watching eye on Richard Mitcham, ensuring brakes and tyres were up to optimum temperature before trying to overtake.

He passed Mitcham on the grass on the third lap, and pulled out a massive lead taking the chequered flag half-a-lap in front of second-placed driver Kat Impy.

Sunday qualifying was again very close, Clark putting his car on pole, with Mitcham on second by 0.2 seconds.

Again the temperature was intense in the cockpits of the 600cc CBR Honda-powered cars, and Clark's start was impeded by a 1000cc car slow off the line in front of him, allowing Mitcham to pass him into the first sweeping left hander.

But by the third lap Clark had caught and passed Mitcham and was pulling out a lead of about a car per lap when his rear left tyre blew out after hitting debris from another car on the track.

Although no damage was done to the car, it ended Clark's race, leaving Mitcham to take the win with Impy closing fast to take second.

This now leaves Clark lying second in the championship behind Trevor Staford, the ex-motor bike and sidecar world champion.

Clark said: "On the whole it was a good weekend, moving me from third to second in the championship.

"It was an easy win in the first race and I was flying towards a double win when my tyre blew, but I'm still well placed to win the 600 class".